The Marcel Lapierre 2007 Morgon is the first Beaujolais I've consumed as more than a sip at a tasting. There are two things I know about Beaujolais. First, the varietal of record is Gamay Noir, which is treated like Pinot Noir's red-headed step-cousin. Since I like underdog stories--Cab Franc being treated as Cabernet Sauvignon's wacky uncle instead of its distinguished father is my classic favorite--there's some appeal on those grounds. The second fact I've learned is Cru Beaujolais, labeled by its sub-appellation (like Morgon), is an entirely different beast than the Village or Nouveau wines one might find in a grocery store.This cuvée, imported by the master wine finder Kermit Lynch, is the same one made famous by Dirty South Wine's 101.85 Silent Ferret Whistle! rating. It's a lighter bodied wine that shows a purity of fruit and freshness of acidity that simply cannot be found in a domestic wine. It's not tannic, and the weightlessness carries over to the finish. While I like a bit more meat on the bone, so to speak, it's the transparency that's so compelling. This is most apparent on the nose, which is a complex stew of earth, pepper, cherry and floral aromas. I get the feeling vintage, varietal and terroir are all being presented unencumbered by external influence.
This wine receives no sulfur, I think, so storage and provenance are vital. What makes it transparent also makes it delicate. While this is probably not a re-buy, I'll be looking for this in future vintages. I'd really, really dig this if it had a little more weight and depth to complement the freshness and purity of expression. Maybe not quite a Silent Ferret Whistle! for me, but it's at least a Pregnant Bull Moose Call if not a Steel Drum Gamelan Fusion.
Pros: Minimal Oak Influence, Fresh, Transparency of Expression, Complex Aromas
Cons: Lack of Depth to Flavors
Decant: Maybe
Price: $22 from East Beach Wine
QPR: Fair (out of Poor, Mediocre, Fair, Good or Excellent with Fair denoting expectations were met for the price point)
3 comments:
I had the 06 (or it might have been the 05) of this wine a couple years ago, and thought that it was interesting for the same reason--I'd never had anything other than "regular" Dubuoef-style, so this was a refreshingly different beast. When I see the Kermit Lynch logo on the back of a bottle, I'm thinking it's a good thing.
i like to think of the underdog story of cab franc as 'cab sauvignon's wacky uncle that smokes a ton of weed.' some turn their nose up at the guy, but some wouldn't mind hanging with him.
Thanks for the shout out on this! The Lapierre is very delicate. I love the shizz, but if you want more depth, check out the Foillard Morgon (also a Kermit import) Serious balls to the wall Cru-Boo.
Cheers!
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